Arnova Family Pad 13.3″ Android tablet review | Part 4: Conclusion

We like the idea of a big tablet to be used by all the family members. The FamilyPad mostly delivers where we expect it, the large screen is a good fit for everybody in the family to enjoy watching photos, movies, playing board or multiplayer games. Also, it can be used for reading music sheets and recipes or for giving product presentations. Unfortunately, the FamilyPad also has its own disadvantages. The relatively old processor won’t let you enjoy the latest game title or applications which are processor intensive. The battery delivers very decent numbers for video playback, but charging takes about 2x the time we are used to with other tablets. With weight of 1286 grams(two times an average 10″ tablet), you will not want to hold it with your hands for a long time. Fortunately, there is the quick stand. It is very handy and it just works. With the provided viewing angle, you can watch multimedia very easily. one of the intentions the FamilyPad was built for.

We definitely appreciate the new ideas Archos/Arnova brought to the tablet world, with the 13.3″ “giant” screen on the FamilyPad or the gaming features on the GamePad, but we believe the FamilyPad could have been better. Then there is also “value” which plays a role – with the RRP of 299€, the FamilyPad is not the cheapest tablet on the market. 7″ Google Nexus 7 is only 249€ and offers far more in terms of performance, screen quality and support(given the Archos support for other Arnova devices), but doesn’t have the 13.3″ screen. For 299€, there are also many dual-core 10″ IPS tablets and the Archos 101xs seems to come to this price point too. The FamilyPad is definitely not a bad product, but given the current tablet market situation and also the fact that YFTech is selling the OEM version of it for 180$ per piece, we think it is overpriced.

There is probably a future for this kind of devices. It can be used as an extra PC in the families, but for productivity, you need an optional keyboard and a little bit more serious hardware(YFTech is also offering a dual-core RK3066 version of its OEM model)…

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